Common HR Mistakes

Ineffective Hiring Practices

Handbook Errors

Picking Favorites

Poor Job Descriptions

Lack of Training

Whether you run a human resource department for your company or are in the process of looking for a new job, you can pick up some HR advice along the way. The HR department is the one responsible for hiring new employees as well as training those workers. As you work in an HR department, you can keep an eye out for some common mistakes that many make and learn how to avoid those mistakes.

Ineffective Hiring Practices

Ineffective hiring practices is a common mistake made by many of these departments. Have you ever went to a job interview where the person talking to you wasn’t sure what questions to ask or asked questions not allowed under law? Before you interview a prospective candidate, you can look over some of the laws regarding questions you cannot legally ask such as questions about race or sexual orientation. You should also take the time to review each candidate and not make any snap decisions regarding who to hire.

Handbook Errors

A good company knows that a handbook will help both new and existing employees. The handbook should supply workers with information about what to do in cases of sexual harassment or bullying, how they can qualify for more time off and the rules regarding parental leave as well as any other policies put in place by the employer. Some companies make the mistake of issuing handbooks that do not contain all the information that workers need or using an outdated version of the handbook. You can avoid this mistake with frequent reviews of your handbook.

Picking Favorites

Though HR directors attempt to stay neutral in most cases, there is a chance that someone working in the department may play favorites. They might give one employee time off work to pick up their kids from school and then prevent another employee from doing the same thing. HR workers can also play favorites because of personal preferences such as an employee who attends the same church or is part of the same organization. It’s important that you act in a neutral way and that you treat all workers with the respect that they deserve.

Poor Job Descriptions

There is nothing worse for a job hunter than applying for a job and going in for an interview to discover the description of that position changed. This can occur because you didn’t have the necessary information when posting that job or because you filled that position and have another job that needs filling. When you write and post a job description, be as accurate as possible in terms of what you want and need, including the minimum amount of education and experience required as well as the skills needed for the job. If the description changes, let candidates know before the interview.

Lack of Training

According to Progressive, a common mistake made by HR departments is that those departments do not provide new workers with enough training. Progressive found that a lack of training can cost companies a lot of money in the long run. Those looking for HR advice will find that they need to train employees properly from the first day they start. This means going over the handbook, explaining any unique policies and ensuring that they can handle all the duties of the job.

HR departments work with both new and existing employees. They are the ones who post job descriptions, interview possible candidates for those jobs and train all new workers. Using a little HR advice can help you learn the mistakes that others made and how you can avoid those mistakes.